Ashes of Eberron
by drakeraenes
Summary: The Last War ended over a century ago. The world is at peace, but such things don't last. A new evil rises, one that has been biding its time to set its plan in motion, and that time is drawing near, but such grand schemes never go unnoticed. With a sudden revelation by the Draconic Prophecy, old and new heroes, and even the gods rise up to fight back! But can they save Eberron?
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Once more the world is on the verge of falling into chaos. Unseen forces move, yet the world knows nothing of their agendas. It has been like this time after time, but as one enemy falls another take its place. Heroes of old pass on their knowledge and eventually fade into legend or myth, and old evils become nothing more than stories to frighten children. It isn't until these evils return and pose a threat to the world once more that heroes will again rise to defend the masses, and new legends will be written once again.

It has been over a century since the Last War and the tragedy the resulted in the Mourland. Much has happened in the aftermath of it all, but most of it has been for the better. Cities are thriving and economies are booming, and the generations that saw the end of the war are finally moving on to more peaceful days. For now the world is at rest, and yet there are those that say there is more yet to come. The Draconic Prophecy, ever fluid and changing with each passing day, has been causing many that study its secrets concern. Great scholars of man and elf and dwarf alike have been fretting over the peculiarities they have discovered. Even some of the dragons of Argonnessan have made their concerns heard amongst those in the know. Something is about to happen in the world, something that could potentially have more impact than The Last War. Is it the coming of a great warrior? Perhaps it will be the rise of a new government in the land? Or is it something older, and far more sinister than the minds of men and dragons are capable of envisioning? Only the Prophecy knows, and those clever enough to decipher it.

 _The Shores of Lake Brey, Northwest of Starilaskur_

 _Month 8: Barrakus, Late Summer_

 _Day 5: Zor_

It was just after sundown when the man dismounted. He was not human, but a shifter with rather wolfish features. One could easily mistake him for a lycanthrope, were it not for the clearly prominent horns that extended from his brow to back of his head. He wore white-ish plate armor that seemed to give off its own light without the aid of the sun or moon or stars, an enchanting glow that was brilliant but not blinding. From his shoulders hung a regal looking cape dark blue in color with a fine silvery trim on the fringes. Underneath it a shield was barely visible, the points of its strange 'Y' shape poking up past his shoulders. From his waist hung a few pouches, and on his left hip there was a sword, its polished scabbard adorned with runes and a deep blue sapphire set into the sword's pommel. He hitched his horse, a beautiful palomino, to a nearby tree with a feed bag and waited for the sun to finish setting. He had arrived early to the meeting point, so he had made sure to bring something to eat while he waited. The sun had set almost an hour before the shifter finally stirred from where he had been sitting. It was faint at first, but soon the sound of an airship could be heard from above. He stood and waited for it to land, then briskly walked towards where it landed. A single figure leapt from the deck and began to walk towards the shifter. Though it was rapidly growing darker, he could easily make out the figure walking his direction thanks to the faint moonlight shining down. It was a female dragonborn clad in plate armor, a sword at her side. She was dressed rather simply compared to the shifter, but neither seemed to notice. She stopped a short distance from the ship, making him finish the walk to her.

"Nice to see your attitude hasn't changed since we last met" he said with a hint of humor. His voice was clear, with a slight hint of formality behind it. The dragonborn didn't smile, or even register that he had spoken to her in any way. She simply stood there, her arms folded.

"You said you had urgent news, yes?" she said roughly. Her voice was rather gravely for a female dragonborn, yet it carried a sense of self-importance in it. She was clearly not in the mood to waste her time exchanging pleasantries.

"I do. We've discovered one of the Covenant's strongholds in the south. We think they might have one of the books there for some experiments. At least that's what our inside man says. I'm going to dispatch one of mine to try and recover it. Reya and Owlbear have already sent their own as well, and we're going to send them out in three days. Do you want to help us with this or no?" He waits for her response, and is met with a sly grin.

"Of course I do." She turns and whistles a long tone out towards the airship, then turns back to face him. "I need to make sure you lot aren't slacking on the job. This is too important to screw up."

A large male dragonborn had made his way off the ship and was headed over to the two. He jogged over to them and when he stopped he saluted. The shifter noticed that he was already packed for travel. He had expected as much from his friend. She was always prepared for things like this.

"General." The female nodded and he dropped his arm back to his side. "Baramet, at your service sir."

"Baramet, you will be accompanying my friend here back to Starilaskur. He has a sensitive assignment that needs doing and I want a firsthand account. You'll be working with non-dragonborn, but don't underestimate them. They are just as skilled as you are in their respective talents. Be swift and show the enemy no mercy, for they will not show you any either. Am I understood?" Baramet snaps to attention and salutes.

"Yes General!"

"Good." She cocks her head to the side while still grinning slyly at the shifter. "Anything else you need old friend?"

"I think that will do. Thank you for your help, General."

With that, they gave each other a curt nod and made their way back to their respective modes of transportation. Once Baramet and the shifter reached the place where the horse had been hitched, they stopped and waited for the airship to depart. The shifter pulled out a small watch from one of his pouches and glanced at it. It was just after the 22nd hour.

"It's 40 miles to Starilaskur. Load your gear onto the back of my horse to help with the run." Baramet took a few minutes to fix his pack to the horse, and then once he was done took a moment to limber up for the long run ahead of him.

"Do you mind if I ask what it is that I'm to be doing, sir?" With a smug grin that was easily visible in the pale light, the shifter chuckled.

"I'll go over the details more in depth once we get to the city, but for now, let's just say there is a very overdue library book that needs recovering. Any other questions?" Baramet chuckled while shaking his head. "Then let's be off!"


	2. Chapter 1

_The Docks, Trolanport_

 _Month 8: Barrakus, Late Summer_

 _Day 14: Sar_

"Here at last!" yelled the Tiefling as he walked off the ship in the afternoon commotion on the docks. He was a ruddy shade of red, almost like he was constantly covered in a thin layer of dust. His horns stuck up higher than was common in Tieflings, and he had long scruffy hair that reached down to his shoulders. He wore a long brown coat that was open in the front and a rather bulky traveler's pack, with a loose shirt visible underneath his coat. He carried a long staff in one hand and had a small pistol on his left side, a rarity as guns were expensive to maintain. His pants were baggy and stopped just below his knees, his belt was positively riddled with pouches and bags, and he wore thick leather wraps and some worn sandals on his feet. Resting just in front of his horns was a pair of goggles, and on his shoulder stood a stark white raven, bobbing its head and looking all around the dock intently. The mere sight of him was enough to draw stares from everyone on the dock, but it was his overly talkative and excitable persona that really drew the most attention.

"Come along friend, there is much exploring to do! I've never been to gnome territory before. This will be exciting! Don't you think so?" He was talking to was a rather lanky Solana, a very rare type of Shifter that is bird-like rather than the common lupine. They look as if a very thin human has been dressed in feathers, with a broad feathered tail, scaly claw-like feet and hands, a beak, and large sweeping wings. Contrary to popular belief, Solana rarely are able to fly. They have become a more earthbound race over time, and as a result their wings are often not strong enough for regular flight due to lack of use. However, this can be remedied with extensive physical training or magical augmentation. They can still glide for short distances despite this.

This particular Solana was colored like a Harpy Eagle. He had white feathers speckled with black along his legs, white and black bands of feathers along his chest and arms, and light grey feathers from his neck up, with a few on the sides and back of his neck ending with black tips. His wings were black on the tops and had radiating bands of black and white on the undersides. His clawed feet were rather large, with three toes in front and one in the back, each with a long black talon as sharp as a honed blade. His hands were similar to a regular man's hand except that he only had four fingers, and his hands and wrists were scaled as well. Each finger also sported a long talon just like his feet. As if his appearance wasn't intimidating enough, he was almost 7 feet tall, making him even more intimidating. He wore a very minimalist leather top, the back being completely open to accommodate his wings, and the front being mostly a collection of criss-crossed straps and buckles. His leggings were also a similar fashion; the back was almost non-existent to make room for his tail feathers, and much of the actual leg material was nothing but straps and buckles. He also wore a pair of leather greaves on the lower parts of his legs, and leather bracers on his forearms. He had a bulky travelers pack as well, but his size made it appear dwarfed. From his side there hung a simple longsword, as well as a few pouches.

"Do whatever you like my strange friend. I have to find transport to Starilaskur. I have business there." At the mention of Starilaskur, the Tiefling ran over to the Solana and threw an arm around him.

"Business in Starilaskur? That sounds like a grand adventure to me! I believe I shall join you on your trip. Something good is bound to happen if I stick with you birdman." He pats him on the shoulder in a friendly manner, staring off into the distance as if envisioning their journey.

"My name is Eysha, not birdman you ruffian."

"Ruffian?" The Tiefling looked at Eysha with a confused look on his face. "I'm Wild."

"I can see that."

"No, I mean that's my name. Wild! Isn't it wonderful?"

"It's definitely appropriate."

"I know! Isn't it just fabulous?!" Wild yelled as he threw his hands into the air excitedly. Several sets of eyes quickly glanced in the direction of Wild's outburst. "Oh, and this is Know" Wild said as he gestured towards the raven on his shoulder. "He's my buddy." He pulled a small piece of dried fruit from one of his coat pockets and offered it to the raven. It stopped and looked at it for a moment before turning to face Wild, cocking his head as if in disbelief. Wild chuckled before popping the fruit into his mouth, and the raven turned to look right at Eysha and, in perfect common, spoke.

"He's not as big an idiot as you think. He's actually quite brilliant, just eccentric."

It takes a moment, but suddenly Eysha realizes something about Wild that he hadn't before.

"You're a wizard, aren't you?" For a moment all Wild did was glance at Know, and then back at Eysha, several times.

"You are quite literally the first person that hasn't assumed I was some kind of bard after meeting me. I'm impressed. I knew there was a reason I liked you!" Wild jollily patted Eysha on the shoulder, grinning like an idiot the whole time. "Now then!" he exclaimed, "Let's go find us some transport to Starilaskur!" They showed their travel papers to the dock guards and started to make their way into the center of Trolanport, Wild dashing about madly from shop to shop, looking at anything that caught his attention. Eysha just walked along calmly behind him, making sure his wings stayed tucked close so he didn't accidentally knock anyone or anything over. He wondered if Wild was always this rambunctious. He didn't seem like he would be of much use in a pinch, given his sporadic attitude.

Eysha hoped that he would actually be able to find transport before the night's end and not have to follow Wild around all day, flitting from shop to shop. Despite being close to the port, there weren't many foreigners in the area, so it was not as common to see other races wandering around, but there were a few. Eysha saw a group of dwarves moving what looked like raw metals and materials, a very lost looking Dragonborn staring at a map and then looking around confused, and some humans wearing crests that identified them as members of House Cannith. Beyond those few, it was primarily gnomes running their shops and going about their daily lives.

Wild looked back and saw that Eysha was slowly following along, glancing around as he walked. Wild was accustomed to traveling, so he had seen his fair share of people. He had seen gnomes before, but this was his first time in Zilargo, so he was curious about what kind of wares and food they had to offer. Know had flown off to watch from overhead, something he did anytime they got to a new area or in a crowd, to help watch out for suspicious things for Wild. It was always good to be prepared, just in case things go wrong, which they sometimes did. Wild just kept walking along, keeping tabs on Eysha as he followed. He doubted anyone would bother him, since if he had to chase someone, he could easily catch them if he flew over the crowd. That made Wild a more likely target for thieves and the like, which was what he was counting on. He did this act often to make himself look like an easy mark, because he had learned over time that the dregs of society often knew more than one would learn from the general population and made excellent guides. It went on like this for another fifteen minutes before Wild heard back from Know.

"Blonde elf on your right. She took the decoy." Wild smiled. Having a familiar was so useful. Wild stopped what he was doing and quickly looked to find the elf Know had mentioned. He had a decoy bag with nothing but cheap trinkets and a nice surprise inside that was for this exact situation.

"Follow her. I'll grab birdman." He looked back in the direction of Eysha and started waving his hands in the air. He got Eysha's attention and motioned for him to head over.

"Yes, my odd friend?"

"Follow me. We're about to get ourselves some information from what I'm guessing will be a very reluctant source." Eysha cocked his head to one side, just like a bird would, and Wild snickered before smiling gleefully and motioned for Eysha to follow him. Wild walked along quickly with Eysha close behind, all while listening to Know give updates on where she was heading.

"She's stopped and is checking out the bag. Take your next left and you'll find her. Shall I drop in and say 'hello'?" Wild loved that Know had a sense of humor like his.

"Oh, please do."

Know flew down and perched on a stack of boxes that the elf was standing next to. He didn't say anything just yet; he wanted to see how she reacted. She jumped slightly when he landed, so he knew that she didn't realize she was being followed by him. That was always a good start. She looked him over for a moment, then smiled and reached out to stroke his breast. He hopped away from her, not knowing what she was planning to do if she touched him.

"Such a pretty bird, aren't you? You don't see white ravens very often." Know just acted as if he were a regular bird, hoping to find out more. People tended to be surprisingly honest when they thought you were just a regular animal. She went back to rifling through the bags contents, evaluating each piece carefully, but she continued talking to him.

"I got this bag from a rather odd fellow. He probably won't miss it. Most of this stuff looks like just a bunch of junk, but some of it's actually worth a bit to the right people. I might have to go to a larger trade city if I want to get decent prices on these though." She picked up a particular stone that Wild always hid in his decoy bags right as Wild and Eysha rounded the corner, and Know started to laugh in a loud caw. The elf stopped examining the stone and looked at Know curiously.

"You like this stone, little raven? She asked, brandishing the stone in front of him.

"Actually, you might want to be careful with that one." The elf stopped cold, staring at Know in shock. She suddenly realized exactly what Know was and quickly grabbed the bag's contents and turned to run, only to find her path blocked by Wild, who was tapping his staff on his shoulder.

"I may be an odd fellow, but I'm far from stupid." Suddenly wide-eyed at hearing her own words, this only confirmed what she had just suspected. The raven was a familiar, and its master had heard everything she had said. The elf immediately turned again and began to run the other direction. She made it only a few feet before Eysha dropped down on the opposite end of the alley, spreading his wings and blocking her only other route of escape. Trapped, the elf glanced back and forth between the two, wondering just who these two were. Wild continued to tap his staff on his shoulder, and Eysha folded his arms, clearly waiting for her to try something.

"You might want to put that down now miss." Wild wasn't moving towards her, but she felt that he was probably more than he seemed. She was sure he was probably waiting to make a move when she was at her most vulnerable and empty handed.

"Why should I?" she asked, ready for him to attack.

"Suit yourself. I warned you." Wild didn't move, but the stone suddenly started to shake in the elf's hand. She looked down at her hand, and then held it up in front of her face when it suddenly burst into a cloud of purple dust. There was a muffled squeak from inside the cloud, followed by coughing and arm waving as the elf tried to clear the air. It took a few seconds for the smoke to clear away, and when it did, both Wild and Eysha's eyes almost popped out of their heads. The elf was now completely white-skinned with white hair, and dark rings around her eyes. She was still coughing and hadn't noticed that her true self was showing, but Wild and Eysha knew exactly what she was. She was a Changeling, and knowing this made her slipping away less likely to happen.

Finally catching her breath, the Changeling realizes that she has dropped her elf form and quickly resumes the look. She doesn't try and run, and instead leans back against the alley wall, sulking. She blows a loose strand of her hair out of her face and turns to look at Wild, scowling.

"That was incredibly underhanded, leaving out a decoy bag and putting a trap into it" she says dryly.

"Says the thief who fell for my ruse" Wild says slyly. "And for the record, that 'trap' was nothing more than a smoke bomb. The fact that you dropped back into your natural shape tells me that you honestly weren't expecting it to explode in your face. I will admit the squeak was kind of cute though."

The changeling suddenly goes incredibly red in the face, clearly embarrassed.

"I am not _cute_! I'm a rogue, and we are anything _but_ cute!" She wasn't yelling, but her tone was clearly angry. She took a moment to compose herself and glanced over towards Eysha.

"So since you two haven't called for guards and neither of you is acting hostile, I'm guessing you have plans for me?" Eysha shrugs his shoulders.

"Ask him" he says, gesturing towards Wild. "He's the brains behind this little escapade."

She turns back towards Wild, tucking some loose hair behind her ear to make herself appear shyer. If she could charm her way out of this predicament and into their good favor, then maybe she could get some better loot off of them once they trusted her a little more and let their guards down.

"So, what do you want from me?" She folded her arms, trying to draw attention to her breasts, knowing that it would likely help distract them.

"We want information. We're trying to get my friend over there to Starilaskur. Any chance you could point us in the direction of someone that could get us there and not empty out wallets in the process?"

She stopped trying to distract them, and her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"You tricked me into stealing from you just so you could ask me where you could catch a ride?"

"Would you rather me ask one of the locals and get swindled by 'the only reputable transport merchant in the city'?" Wild's tone suggested that he was speaking from experience.

The Changeling starts to protest, then stops and smiles.

"You're not as dumb as I initially thought."

"I get that a lot."

"Well in that case, I can get you in with a guy. He won't rob you blind, but it won't be cheap either if your trying to go that far. What about the Lightning Rail?"

"That could work" Eysha chimes in. "We get transport over to one of the eastern cities with a station, and it would get us up there much faster. It would also save us some coin."

Wild claps his hands together excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

"We have a plan! Now then, let us be off to the inn! I think we are all due for food and drink!" He turns to walk away but stops suddenly. "By the way, I'm Wild. And that over there is Eysha. And you?"

"Feyn."

"Great! Now then!" His tail suddenly whips out and snatches his decoy bag from Feyn's hand, and then drops it into a pocket as he turns to walk away. "Fooooooood!"

After about ten minutes of walking, the ragtag group finally reaches the inn closest to the northern city gates, the place where Feyn indicated that her contact could be found. As they entered, Eysha looked around. He noticed an empty table close to the inn's fireplace and made his way over to it, Wild and Feyn following close behind. It was only a short distance from the bar, where the Dragonborn he had seen from earlier was sitting with a few empty glasses, looking dejected. They sat and Wild ran up to fetch drinks from the bar. He came back with three large glasses of water; one in each hand and another held by his tail. He sets all three down at simultaneously, then dashes back up to the bar and returns with some bread.

"Well, dig in! If you want hot food then you'll have to go order it yourself." They each made their way up to order food from the barkeep, and before long they were eating contentedly. It had been a few hours since Wild and Eysha had arrived on the docks, so they were understandably hungry. About halfway through their meals, an old man wandered over to their table. He had clearly been traveling and looked worn down from being on the road. Eysha and Wild cast quick glances over to Feyn, expecting her to introduce them to her travel guy, but she just looked at each of them confused and just shrugged her shoulders. He sighed deeply as he sat in an empty chair, and then turned to look at each of them. He had strikingly blue eyes and long white hair that reached down to the middle of his back. His coat was battered and torn, and his pack was just as worn. Hanging from his pack was a covered cage, from which there emerged small chitters intermittently, presumably from birds.

"Hello, my young friends. How are you this wonderful evening?" His voice was chipper, completely opposite from what one would expect of a ragged old man.

"I hear you're looking to head up to Starilaskur." At the mention of Starilaskur, the Dragonborn at the bar stirred, tilting his head so as to better hear the conversation.

"Could I perhaps hire you on as escorts? I'm looking to head that way to go meet an old friend and an old man like me could use a little protection." He pulled out a small sack that jingled, and sat it down, spilling out several platinum coins.

"Of course, the trip itself will hopefully be more rewarding than mere money."

All three of the ragtag group exchanged quick looks with each other, each of them unsure what to do or say. While they were sitting there quietly contemplating what to do, the Dragonborn from the bar sauntered over and pulled out a chair for himself.

"Razhan, and I'm trying to head north to Starilaskur as well. You can keep the money; I just need company to travel with. I've never been this far west and I don't know the way. Mind if join you?"

At this point several loud chirping noises started to emanate from the covered cage.

"Hush now, Kurya. And you Marroshok" the man whispered quietly. He wasn't trying to not be overheard, so the entirety of the table heard his hushed tone. Wild stopped chewing for a moment, looking at the old man wide-eyed before grinning slightly and going back to chewing. No one noticed it however. He finished his mouthful before finally speaking.

"I'm in. Money or not, this could be a very rewarding experience indeed." Eysha and Feyn looked at Wild incredulously. He simply raised his glass of water and took a good, long drink, completely emptying the glass before dropping it back onto the table with a satisfying 'ah'.

"Who's with me?" Wild looks at each of them hopefully, a slight grin on his face. No one says anything for a moment, but then Eysha spoke.

"I'm in. I don't know why you're suddenly interested in helping this man, but he's going where I and Razhan here need to go, so why not?" Razhan nodded silently in agreement as he glanced around the table, hoping that the others would also agree to help.

"Hey now, what happened to meeting my guy and getting transport?" Feyn asked, sounding slightly hurt from having been dragged into this and then completely disregarded.

"Oh trust me Feyn, you'll want to get in on this" Wild says slyly. Feyn just shakes her head in confusion, her mouth slightly agape. Wild just glanced back at the old man for a brief moment, and then winked at her. She closed her mouth and thought for a moment, before finally leaning back into her chair.

"Alright" she says with a heavy sigh. "Count me in." Wild excitedly claps his hands, a grin stretching from ear to ear.

"So!" he said, turning to face the old man. "When do we leave?"


	3. Chapter 2

_North of Trolanport, Zilargo_

 _Month 8: Barrakus, Late Summer_

 _Day 15: Sul_

The old man breathed in deeply, savoring the morning air as he leaned on his staff. He and his haphazard group of bodyguards had been on the road for barely an hour, the sun just slightly visible over the treetops along the roadside. They were tagging along on a caravan that was headed north to the town of Oskilor, and from there the old man informed them that they would be taking a shortcut through the Shimmerwood Forest towards Thurimbar in the east. Once there they would grab another ride to the city of Korranberg, and from there head north to Starilaskur via the Lightning Rail. It was a very direct route, if a little unusual and unorthodox. Wild was more than willing to just roll with whatever the old man said, not questioning him in the slightest, but the others weren't as free-spirited as him.

"I still don't see why we don't just head to Zolanberg" whined Feyn. "It's so much closer." She was cleaning out the underside of her nails with a small dagger, being careful not to accidentally cut herself should they hit a bump in the road.

"Like the old man said, he feels like that's just the way to go" chimed Wild. He was quietly reading from a thick leather book inscribed with various arcane symbols, and hadn't been as talkative as he had been the night prior. Know just sat calmly on his shoulder, keeping to himself as well.

"You _are_ the only one complaining, Feyn" Eysha yawned. "Just relax. It's only a walk through the woods. I seriously doubt we're going to happen upon anything more dangerous than a bear." Feyn scoffed and went back to cleaning her nails and Eysha watched Wild for a brief moment. He knew that Wild was likely making sure he had spells at the ready in case he needed them, as it was common for wizards to prepare spells in the morning hours while traveling. He glanced around at their small group, and lingered for a moment on one of the newest member of their ranks, the dragonborn Razhan.

Razhan hadn't said hardly anything since he arrived for breakfast that morning with the others. At the moment he was sitting calmly with his legs crossed, hands forming a circle in his lap, and so perfectly still that one could easily assume he was a highly detailed statue. He wasn't carrying much on him besides bare essentials. His pack appeared to be nothing more than standard traveling gear, he wore a chain necklace with a small amulet on it, basic clothing, and had a greatsword on his hip. He may not have had much on him, but he did have one rare feature that drew attention to him: he had a tail. It was long and prehensile, much like Wild's tail, only his was thicker and scaled. His scales were a brilliant golden color, and they gleamed pleasantly in the sunlight coming in through the trees.

They all just kept to themselves for the most part of the morning, none of them talking much. Eysha watched the scenery as they rode on, Feyn kept on grooming herself, Razhan continued meditating, and Wild opened up a different book to read after finishing preparing his spells for the day. The old man sat quietly, watching all of them with an amused smile on his face. He also wasn't carrying much on his person. He wore a long and flowing brown cloak that covered his entire person, so none of them knew if he had anything else underneath. On his back he had a small pack, and hanging from it was the cage that held his birds. He had fed them earlier and they had all seen that there were seven small canaries inside, each chittering wildly. His staff was the only thing that seemed to be of any worth on him. It was a finely polished white oak, and on its end was perched a small dragon with wings spread as if ready to take flight. As they rode along, he remained silent for the most part, but for some reason the others couldn't understand, he was greatly interested in Razhan as he meditated.

It was almost sundown when they finally reached Oskilor. The ride had been uneventful and they hadn't really talked much. The group dismounted and stretched their stiff joints before making their way to the inn for the night. Once they had arrived, they paid for their rooms and ordered themselves dinner before finding a table and sitting down to eat.

"So we're seriously going through the forest?" Feyn asked between bites. She had been questioning the decision for most of the day, and no one had budged on it. A few nodded heads in response as everyone was in varied stages of eating or chewing, and Feyn could only let out a sigh before returning to her own meal.

"Why are you so adamant about us changing the route?" queried Eysha after swallowing his mouthful of food. "Cutting through the forest does save us time regardless of which city we go to after arriving on the other side." Feyn, with a mouthful of food, took a moment to reply.

"Because it's more convenient to just ride the caravans along established roads. I for one don't care for being out in the wild-"

"Yes?" piqued Wild.

"I wasn't talking to you horn-head. I was saying that I'm not much of an outdoorsy person. I like my city comforts, and I don't see why we have to purposefully give them up when we don't have to. Just because this old man wants to take a stroll through the woods, you're all willing to up and follow blindly? What if there's a trap waiting for us?"

"There isn't" said Wild. "Trust me."

"And why on Eberron would I trust you, the man who hides smoke bombs in decoy pouches meant specifically to dupe a rogue like myself into stealing it and then coerce them into helping you?"

"No one _made_ you come along, Feyn" chimed Eysha. "You had every opportunity to leave. We weren't holding you hostage in any way at all. You're here because you decided to be for whatever reason. You can part ways with us once we reach Starilaskur." Feyn harrumphed loudly, crossing her arms and throwing her head to the side and looking away. She wasn't going to admit that she was along simply because she had been bored and wanting to move on to a larger city like Starilaskur for a while now, but she wasn't comfortable with traveling alone. Eysha and Wild had shown that they weren't hostile towards her despite knowing she was a thief, so in a way she trusted them, but it wasn't anything absolute.

"Tell me, what is this Starilaskur like?" asked Razhan. He hadn't spoken much since that night at the inn, so it took many of them aback when he suddenly spoke.

"You could say that it's unofficially the central city of Khorvaire" responded the old man, who had been listening quietly. They all turned to face him, hoping that he might hint at why it was he was heading there, or some other useful piece of information.

"The Lightning Rail and several major roads lead to it, so it's a sort of hub of trade and commerce. It also has a temple for each of the major and many of the minor faiths in Eberron. Many travel there to seek employment, others looking for rare goods, and some to hopefully cross paths with many of the old heroes that still walk the lands."

"Like Varren Silverfang?" asked Razhan. Eysha snapped his head to face him so fast that one could easily believe he was trying to break it. "I'm looking for him. It is vital that I speak to him as soon as we reach Starilaskur."

"You're looking for him too?" queried Eysha. Razhan cocked his head in slight confusion at hearing this, but it was the sudden laughter coming from the old man that drew everyone's attention back to him. It was rather joyful hearing him laugh, and it seemed to brighten the room a little more.

"Well then, that makes three of us!" he exclaimed. The group all exchanged looks of confusion. It could be no coincidence that they were traveling together. Wild however, who had been nothing but smiles was now looking thoroughly amused as he took a sip of water from his glass. His expression did not go unnoticed.

"And just what are you so smug about?" asked Feyn. "You better have a damn good reason to have dragged me along on this trip, because it keeps getting weirder by the second. And who in the blazes is this Varren?" Wild chuckled quietly, all eyes on him.

"Don't you think it's a little odd that three people who never met each other until yesterday are all looking for the same person? And not just any person, but the single most famous paladin in all Eberron, who is rumored to have bested his own god in honored combat?" No one noticed it, but Wild had made direct eye contact with the old man for the last part of his statement, and the old man had smiled slightly. They were all too busy taking in this incredulous bit of information.

"Not to mention the fact that the man has ties to almost every noble and high priest that lives today, and was bestowed a platinum ring from the High Priestess of Thrane." If anyone in the group hadn't been impressed before, then they were now. Thrane was the leader of the five nations in Khorvaire, and the Priestess was second only to the heads of the nations in power, but that wasn't the impressive part.

A ring bestowed by her meant that the individual had the power to use her name to varying degrees. Copper was given mostly to diplomats that would go about the business of Thrane, while silver meant that you were trusted by her and that you could come and go from any city with little issue and even make proclamations on her behalf, and gold meant that you were an outstanding member of the community, and were second only to the Priestess herself.

A platinum ring, however, was something entirely different. There are only three in existence, and wearing one meant that you were recognized as her equal. Effectively, Varren Silverfang was easily one of the most influential persons in Khorvaire, and his not being affiliated with any particular government made him the perfect impartial party for any type of negotiations. In a sense, the group was looking for a living legend.

Everyone was silent for a moment after hearing this from Wild, but then the silence was broken by laughter. Feyn was doubled over onto the table, laughing heartily. It wasn't the same as when the old man had laughed. She finally slowed down and caught her breath after a few moments.

"Do you honestly believe any of that? I mean come on! They say he disappeared for almost ten years and then just suddenly turned up back in Starilaskur like nothing had happened. And I hear that he used to be associated with members of the New Arkhosian Army." The table went silent again, but not in awe. The New Arkhosian Army was made up of dragonborn from all over and was the largest private military in the world, but no one knew where they were based out of or even who their leader really was. They were a force that could easily overthrow an entire country if they so wished.

"I don't care what rumors there are about him" Razhan said flatly. "I still have to find him. It was the last task my master entrusted me with, and I can't fail."

"Agreed" said Eysha. "We're already heading that direction so it makes little difference what is and isn't true about him. Once we get there we will likely all go our separate ways regardless." There were several nods around the table. "Now I say we finish our meal and get some rest. Tomorrow we take this shortcut through the woods." Everyone nodded and went back to their meals, and then turned in for the night a half hour later.


End file.
